Fresh air? Consider Terra!
by VJulesv
Summary: Why did Yumi leave for the Terra? And why is Sachiko so angsty?


_A/N: Don't own the characters, not at all. Otherwise they would be plunged into this strange universe I've currently plunged them into. The characters belong to Konno Oyuki. Brillant woman, brillant writing._

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**Chapter 1: Gasp! Need some fresh air? Consider Terra!**

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"Do you think of him?" She plays with the pearls on the string, admiring their natural beauty. It's been too quiet around the Ogasawara Main House and she's glad he's come to visit.

"Sometimes, yes." Her cousin murmured in his low, gentle voice, before startling her with a harsh laugh. "Ah, why should I lie to you? Of course I think of him, and more than just sometimes. I… I don't think I can forget him that easily, Sa-chan. Feelings don't come and go at my bidding." His voice rose as he spoke, and ended with a whisper.

Sachiko says nothing at his outburst. She feels it too, this intense, slow-burning longing within her heart. Memories which rise, unbidden whenever she comes across an item, a place… or even a refrain of a song that reminds her of her loved one. She travels to Tokyo, sometimes, just to visit Lillian Girls', where they first met. The school allows her in, and the current Rosa Chinensis would accompany her around. She's gone back at least thrice, now. She visits the_ Benibara, _where she remembers, was the place she first met _her, _goes up to 1 Pine, 2 Pine, and 3 Pines- their classrooms. She ends her visits at the greenhouse where they shared so many meaningful conversations. The plant _Rosa Chinensis _thrives, as it always has, and she spends nearly an hour just sitting there, remembering.

Every time she visits the greenhouse (she thinks of it as the _last stop_), she feels tears pooling in her eyes, and the whoever the current Rosa Chinensis was would step outside, to grant her some privacy. This year, the standing Rosa Chinensis was also accompanied by her soeur, and they looked like the perfect pair, hand-in-hand as they respectfully waited for her at the school gate. A tall, dark-haired girl with a serious expression, arms linked casually with a brown-haired junior, who had merry, twinkling eyes. When she saw them, looking like two perfect dolls together, she almost turned around to leave. They reminded her of her and Yumi, in their Lillian days. How did it come to this?

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It's been two years since the Fukuzawa siblings left for the space colony Januarius. It was one dedicated to medicine and biochemistry. Many of the Earth's youths- the best and brilliant wished to migrate to these space colonies, and their applications were accepted, if they had the professional skills or specialized knowledge related to the colony's specialization. Either that, or their manpower were vital to the daily running of the colony. But with many things being automated in the colony, most of the people living in, for example, Januarius, would be those specializing in medicine or biochemistry.

There were twelve colonies orbiting around Mars, and all were fairly new. They'd only been around for the past twelve years. Built at a rate of one a year, with more planned. It was an enormous expense to build them and get them habitable, but now that it was up and running, overpopulation on Earth ceased to be such a major problem. Humans were finally expanding into space, a slow but sure march out of necessity and their endless curiosity about the universe around them.

Not wanting a chaotic and rushed migration to the colonies, the different regions (RED, BLUE, A and Z) had outlined various specializations for each of the twelve colonies. Not everyone could go, only the fit and healthy. The colonies were still in their early days and they did wanted those who could easily adapt to strange, new environments, not encumbered by medication. Six of the colonies were dedicated to food supplies, with environments specially built to encourage multi-harvests.

The other six- Januarius was dedicated to medicine and biochemical research, Februarius for the sciences, Marchius for arts and humanities, Aprilius for mathematics and statistics, Mayius for engineering and Junius was allocated as the administrative, business and financial hub of the colonies. They managed the coordination of supplies and information, the trade, and the governance of the colonies. Together, these twelve colonies were known collectively as Terra. Not one region on Earth controlled Terra alone, each region had its quota of citizens on Terra. The governing council on Junius was also formed in a similar manner, with representatives from the different regions as well as colonies.

And of course, Ogasawara Group had an office in Junius. More than an office, really, it was the Terran Headquarters of the Group. They had branches in Aprilius and Mayius, where research was conducted to improve their banking services and industrial production. In Junius, the Ogasawara Group had a tall tower, forty stories high, which was one of the highest in Terra. The engineers felt the need to restrict the height of the buildings, just in case. The colonies were still new, and everyone was cautious about as to how far the limits of engineering went.

It was either Sachiko or Suguru that would be chosen to go. One of them would have to stay on Earth. The bulk of their Group's activities were still on Earth, after all. But one of them would have to go to Terra, the _new frontier._ So that when the space colonies gained momentum and started expanding, the Ogasawara Group would be well prepared. Plus, there were rumours that the Earth's Regions (RED, BLUE, A and Z) were considering the viability of expanding onto Mars. The nearer they were to the Red Planet, the better.

Well, Junius wasn't really near Januarius- nearly a week's travel by space shuttle lay between the two colonies. _But it was definitely nearer compared to Earth,_ mused Sachiko. She'd volunteered to go, but Suguru beat her to it. _The nerve of him! _Both Suguru and Sachiko had come to an amicable relationship after their engagement was dissolved (turned out, sufficient protest was indeed _sufficient _to break off such a distasteful arrangement). That happened right after Sachiko finished her high school years in Lillian.

Now, twelve years later, Suguru was being a pain again.

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Sachiko's voice rises to hysterical heights. "Just let me go instead, Suguru-san! Won't you miss your friends here?"

Suguru's soft answer battles her hysteria. "On the contrary, Sa-chan. Most of my friends have migrated."

"Well, so have mine!" Sachiko feels a little resentful, a little abandoned by the lot of them.

"…and besides, I miss Yuukichi. Aha, I _do _want to his cute little _tanuki _face again." Suguru grins at Sachiko, his eyes lighting up at the thought of seeing Yuuki after two years.

Which brings us back to the conversation at the start of this tale.

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"Do you think of him?"

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End file.
